Axle blank



-.July 23, 1929. w. P. WITHEROW 1,722,123

AXLE BLANK Original Filed Dec. 50, 1921 2 sheets-Shee 1 Fig].

INVENTOR. way 9. wmmw BY 6 ,wm'm PPM! W W A TTORNEYS.

July 23, 1929.

w. P. WITHEROW 1,722,123

AXLE BLANK Original Filed Dec. 30, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fiy 7 Fiy i INVENTOR.

1 RWM M ATTORNEYS.

v 35 b Ssattheend-Ofthe axle.-

Patented July '23, I929."

I l UNITED; STATES;

ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM r. wr'rnnnow, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T wrrnnnow i STEEL conronA'rIoN', .sYLvANIAi, 1

or rrrrrseunen, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPOBTION OFPENN- AXLE B ANK. V

. "lea application filed December 30, 1921, Serial Ne. 525,97abmvmeafe1id this application filed June 25, 1927. Serial No. 261,31

of a rolled leader or blank ready for die roll- -Figure"2 isa side elevation of a portion of a series of one form of axle blanks as they emerge from the die rolling,

Figure 3 is a to plan'view of one of the blanks shown in vli igure 2," Figures 4 and 5 are cross sectional views 1 on the lines IV-IV and VV respectively of Figure 2,

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are views-similar to Figure 2 showing other forms of die rolled axle blanks embodying my invention,

Figure 9 is a cross sectional View on the line IX-IX of Figure .8, I

Figure 10 is a side elevationof' the ends of two axle blanks having a gating connecting the same, and I Figure 11 is a top plan view-ofthe gating shown in Figure 10.

My invention relates to themanufacture of vehicle axles, and more-particularly-the front axles of automotive vehicles. v

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 525,979, filed December 30th, 1921; which application eventuated in United States Patent 1,656,846, dated J anuary 17th,1928. Automotive vehicle axles are generally oftWo kinds, one in which the end this forked portion.cooperatingwvitha bored termed the ;reverse Ellio'tt ;type.

, 'Heretofore"inimaking the type of axle havingforked ends, the end portionsfof' the I originalblank havezbeen split {and formed- A 40 into;forks,land thesmain body: of the axle. has;

' .zthen'beenf fo'rged to, shape.

a My i vefit eflii eefieit such axles. froinfa rudimentaiy- Y corresponding in; a rudimentary way' .toth

. of the axle itself is split and formed into 7 forks',"'for receiving a stub axle, While .in the v vothery'the forked. portion is on the stub axle,

er ,or preliminar'y blank",' This; prel m nary; blank, which may have any?" one of; ;lar'ge -v vnumberof shapes ispreferablyiof' zun-iforin: i iclrosssection having-i1 crofs s'-sect;i(' na1 shape cross-sectional shape of fa'piortion of theh'fin- ,f i l pbr iofi 'oi 'Ieb am' cross s cti nfth is I; 'em et rea s 9'? t e Sn; 'edee hii v Iingd'ep th between the points of attachment for the springs In making such axles, my

leader is preferably of rudimeritiiryv I-beain shape. -This leader of uniform cross-section is then rolled in die rolls to form a connected series of axle blanks, which are -then cut, sawed or sheared apart. If desired, the ends may be cut to length, or the blanks may beinitially rolled from center to center with the endsdirectly connected or connected by a suitable gating, as illustrated more particu larly in Figures '10 and 11. By the express on from center to center as used herein,

. I mean from a given point in one blank to a corresponding point in an adjacent blank, to provide a constant distance therebetween, or from a given point in one blank to another point on the same blank. The purpose, of course,'is .to give substantial uniformity in successive blanks. After the individual blanks are separated from the series the flash formed in the die-rolling is trimmed or sheared off, the blank then being'ready for the final operations. These final operations may consist of machining certain port-ions and in most cases of forging the end portions to the desired final shape.

The dies for making these axle blanks are, "of course, shapedto give the desired section for the central portion, form the spring seats, 1f ,i'equlred, and make suitably shaped end portions for the blanks, which are thereafter reshaped, as desired.

' V 3 This application covers the blanks formed "This latter form 1 g cation above referred to describes and claims by the die rolling process. The parent applithe method offorming the blanks from a leader which 1s of rudimentary recessed shape; The dierolled axle has numerous ad- 'v'antagesfove'r axles'made by other processes tie" to the fact that the rollingand extrusion Thefiblank may take different forms, accord- 515g 0 {the typeofaxle' desired, the type of springattaclnnentand so forth, but will con- '1 tain the features embodied in my broader In Figure 1 there is illustrated one form of deradaptedto be rolled in accordance with axles of the I-beam type as referred to. In Figures 2, 6,7 and 8 I show a part of the string of connected blanks of this type coming from the die rolls.

In FigureQ there are illustrated portions of two blanks each having a central I-beam portion 2 shown as of varying cross-section, the depth of the I-beam increasing toward the thickened or boss portions 3 shown in section in Figure 4:, where the spring attachments are made. Beyond the portions 3, there are short I-beam portions 4 shown in section in Figure 5, which gradually merge into solid'end portions 5, preferably of rectangular form in cross-section. Flash or fins 6 are formed on the intermediate portions of the blank during the die-rolling operation, the amount of the flash varying in accordance with the shaping and reducing operations to which the leader is subjected during thc rolling. As will be clear from the drawings, the flash has a well defined line of junction with. the axle. In die-rolling, a string of these blanks will come from the rolls, the blanks being then sheared apart and trimmed at the ends to the correct length, or directly sheared to exact length when the blanks are rolled from center to center.

Such axle blanks, after trimming, may be furnished to the manufacturer who splits and forks the solid end portions to make the fork type of axle, and machines certain portions, such as the portions 3, 3. These blank ends may, however, be forged into bosses instead of yokes in making the reverse Elliott t pe.

In Figure 6-there are illustrated portions of two blanks generally similar to those shown in Figure 2. In this form, however, the central portion 2 of each blank is of uniform cross-section and each entire blank is rolled to finished dimensions. These blanks have bosses 3 for the attachment of.

the. springs, and short I-beam sections 4, which merge into solid bosses 5 ready to be machined and bored, for axles of the reverse Elliott type, after the blanks are separated and the flash trimmed away. The bosses 3* may be similarly re-shaped or machined.

In Figure 7 the central portion 2 of each blank is shown of I-beam form, this extending into lumps 7, instead of finished bosses. Beyond these lumps there, may be partial finished I-beam portions 4 which merge into square or rectangulaigsolid end portions 5".' In this case the I-beam portion after trimming off the flash 6" is in finished condition and the lumps form stock from which the spring pads or bosses for spring connection or support are made. The end portions may be forged into yokes or bosses depending on the type of axle desired.

In Figure 8 I showstill another form of blank having the finished I-beam central means portion 2 terminating in lump stock 7 with I-beam portions 4 outside the lump portions and extending to flattened eye port-ions 5 illustrated in section in Figure 9. lVith this form, the webs 8 of the eyes are punched out and the eyes opened to form yokes which are then forged, the lump portions being either reforged, machined or both to provide the spring pads or spring bosses.

In Figures 10 and 11 the adjacent ends 5 of the axle blanks are illustrated as being connected by a gating 10. In many instances it may desirable to roll the strings of blanks with such a gating, particularly in rolling to finished dimensions or from center to center. In such cases, the gating indicates the exact points at which to separate the blanks. Such a gating is also very effective in rolling blanks more particularly of the forms shown in Figures 2, 3 and 7 as it gives the rolls a bite on the leader and-prevents slipping thereof when rolling the rectangular end portions. This insures accu-' rate rolling, and minimizes the number'of blanks which must be scrapped.

In all the forms it will be understood that the die rolls turn out a connected integral string or series of these blanks which are then separated from each other, the blanks either being directly connected end to end or having a gating or portion to shear away between their ends. It will be noted that in each form there is a portion or portions of the axle rolled to finished dimensions and that in some of the cases forging of parts is necessary as well as machining, while in other cases, such as that of Figure 6, the axle requires only machining after the flash is trimmed away. 1

During the rolling step the articles are extruded in a greater or less amount, depending upon the amount ofreduction. In this respect myinvention differs materially from processes wherein bearing balls or the like are pressed out of a strip. Such operations are essentially continuous pressing Many changes may be made in the form and size of the axle, depending on the type desired, and other changes may be made without departing from my invention. The

broad method may also be applied to making blanks other than axle blanks, as disclosed I-beam cross section, the blank having spring in my Patent 1,57 2,343, dated February 9th, 1926. i i

I claim 1. As a new article of manufacture, a die rolled axle blank of varying cross sectional shape, a portion of the axle blank being of attachnient portions and solid end portions, the blank having a flash zone alongside the I-beam portions,

2. As a new article of manufacture,-a die rolled axle blank having an intermediate portion of varying I-beam cross section,the

I-beam portion merging into solid end portions and having spring'seats, the blank having a flash zone alongside the I-beam portions.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a string of die rolled axle blanks having middle recessed portions of substantially final dimensions and having end portions adapted for reworking, the blanks having a flash on at least one side thereof, the flash varying in amount along the blank, the portions of the string lying between the middle portions of adjacent blanks than the flash.

4. As a new articlev of manufacture, a string of die rolled axle blanks having middle recessed portions of substantially final dimensions, end portions adapted for reworking, and spring attaching portions between the middle recessed portions and the end portions, the blanks having a flash on at least one side thereof, the flash varying in amount along the blank. I

5. As a new article of manufacture, a rolled axle blank of varying cross sectional shape having a recessed portion and having s rin attachin ortions and end ortions the blank having a flash zone alongside the recessed portion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM P. WVITHEROW.

being materially thicker I 

